Maldonboy38

Turn a higher percentage of Forward 50 entries in goals, and we win easily. Although our win/loss ratio has been very patchy, we have been playing good footy between the opposition goal and our half forward line. Either 1. TMac, Hogan or Fritsch have to take F50 marks and convert most into goals 2. Midfield and half forwards (Petracca, Brayshaw, Harmes) have to kick goals running into F50 3. ... or Garlett, Spargo and ANB have to get crumb goals.

Pedo out, Weideman in. I have been a huge Pedo fan and have said repeatedly over the last few years that our 22 is better with him in it. But apart from possession numbers, his influence in games is reducing while Weideman's is growing. At least he can tackle and follow up after contesting fro a mark. Petracca out, Garlett/Balic in. You can't do 4 "special" kicks and 1 "special" goal per game and be considered a contributor. Having said that, Garlett at his worst is worse than Petracca but at least he is in form in the VFL. Is Balic a consideration? And as for midfield effectiveness I really put this down to a poor game. We have actually been very good around the contest for most of the year.

Impeccable skills, very quick, stupidly courageous (often overlooked), team first, goal kicker, wonderful mark and absolute clubman. He was a beautiful footballer. Strange word for football, I know, but he made the game beautiful. I spent hours in the paddock kicking goals between trees, baulking invisible opponents, and commentating to myself "and Flower kicks another miraculous goal". And in the 87 finals series against the Swans, when he ran onto the ground off the bench to the cry of "Robbieeeee", remains my highest football experience.

He was never my favourite player, and his recent work with MFC is questionable, but Garry Lyon was a gun. Could read the play, was an exceptional kick, and at times a match winner.

Yes, they have injuries but they are a well coached, well drilled team with 22 players who run both ways. Their attack off half back is the best in the league. This won't be a breeze, but we will win by 10 points. Our contest around the drop of the ball will deny them first use. Our midfield need to kick goals.

Jakovich was a freak whose career was cut short by injury and laziness. His best was better than most. Amazing footballer. If he would have trained harder, and dedicated himself to a professional standard of rehab from injuries, we would have been a lot closer to winning a flag. Oliver is a very special footballer. His achievements for 50 games is surprising. Could be anything. It is a long time since we had a midfielder with his abilities. But Yze was beautiful to watch. Soft - yes at times, but his decision making, general awareness and kicking... oh his kicking!! His ball drop was not text-book but it was poetry to watch him kick. He sustained a very high quality of football for a very long time so he easily gets my vote.

The football produced by the Dees under Neeld's leadership is the worst AFL football I have ever seen, bar none. And I am talking Dees and Saints in the 70's, and the Bears a bit later. A limited if not incompetent senior coach, and an atrocious communicator. But I really feel for him here. A genuine sadness and disappointment for another human being burnt by AFL footy. Can you imagine giving 20+ years of your life to the game, only to be thrown on the scrap heap like this? And for those back-room whisperers and leakers at Essendon, pouring out confidential info so Neeld becomes a scapegoat for issues probably belonging to the whole coaching group - I hope you reap what you have sown here.

Another step in our slow, steady but inconsistent development. For over a decade we have lost a lot of games against teams we "should beat", usually by one bad quarter and in particular a bad last quarter. Finally, we are beginning to win these games. Not brilliantly, but well enough. 11 goals is rather nice though. These wins against Gold Coast, St. Kilda etc... are not too much to brag about but the players are getting used to winning, our midfielders are learning to mix and roll with each other, confidence is growing, AND you can see the game plan clearly now. We will still lose a game or 2 we should win (but that is happening to all teams in last 2 seasons) and our general field kicking still doesn't stand up under pressure, but at least I can watch a game through. Very stiff to drop someone for Viney, but having competition for every spot except for Hogan and Gawn is a nice place to be for a while.

Would have to start at U10's and work its way back into the game. Modern players have never done and it would be a nightmare. Having said that, I would love to see it. From a skills perspective, kicking a stationary ball SHOULD be more effective and efficient than kicking a dropped ball. Easy for a runner/water carrier to come out with a light-weight plastic kicking mount so no need to dig holes etc... AFL get another advertising opportunity. Must be kicked within 1 minute of the umpires whistle.

TMac in, Gus firing, Oliver Hogan and Petracca firing - AND Viney to come in. The light at the end of the tunnel is no longer the headlights of an oncoming train. The issue is that apart from Carlton, every team has played some decent footy and only Richmond have any consistency. Each week is a nightmare for tipping and form seems to be more quarter-by-quarter than game-by-game. The QB clash against the Filth will be pivotal. IF we are to play finals, the last 5 rounds are the most important to me. We need to find increasing form 5 games in a row to build momentum for the finals. Looking at Adelaide (A), Gold Coast (H), Sydney(H), West Coast(A) and Giants(H) I see a really difficult path to the finals, maybe winning only 2 of these but we might snatch the Sydney game.

OMac was in this same position 18 months ago. How's he doing now? Weideman is fine, is contributing, and will be a very very good AFL player.

Great to get a win, even if the first half is unwatchable. A few positives to come from the game: Brayshaw playing midfield where he should, Hannan Fritsch and Spargo etc... It was a nice win, but nothing to get me too excited. It still feels like just one game in the middle of a whole heap of bland under-performance. I still can't clearly see our best 22 or best 25 players, with lots of players like Harmes, ANB, Fritsch, Spargo, Garlett, Smith, etc... rolling in and out of the team each week as their form fluctuates. OMac is my highlight of the year so far. Love watching him now. I feel as confident with him as I do with Nev. Do we remember how many Demonlanders were caning our selectors for leaving him in the team when he was learning his trade? The vitriol was a pandemic. In hindsight, our player development seems to be an actual strength. (I can't believe I am typing that after the previous decade of horrors!) Now, that Demonlander vitriol reserved purely for developing players, turns to Weideman. How about we give him the same opportunities we have OMac? Weideman is a very, very good footballer who will turn out to be a 200 game player. He also has Hogan and TMac to learn from. He will be fine.

I am thinking of starting a self-help group, something like AA or NA. I am going to call it DEETOX, helping people addicted to the MFC and suffering from MFCSS. Any takers?

Nathan Jones - THE problem. I am severely annoyed and p***ed off this morning but this is simply wrong. For those who consider him THE problem need to rethink their understanding of leadership. We have members, finances, everything in place; but the football we play continues to have massive holes in it. Nathan Jones is NOT one of those holes.

Again - really really fumbly. Again - composure lacking in almost every play. No run from behind. We are losing rather than Tiges winning.

If we had composure we would be 3 goals up. Both teams lacking composure at this stage and it is just looking like aerial ping pong.

If we have the ball then all our players switch to attack mindset and formation. As this happens the Dees players seem to habitually and intuitively 1) overpossess and handball, 2) miss in-close targets, or 3) fumble, then it constantly looks like we are out of position etc... Add to that that Lewis is one of our main culprits (so fumbly and inefficient generally this year), Jones was used as a semi-tagger, and TMac and Viney are out, then we still dont have a leader/ someone experienced to initiate composure. We are getting the ball enough, and getting it inside 50 enough, but farting around with it is killing us time and time again. THIS is why we are scored against so easily.

Pick it up cleanly and stop stuffing around close to their goal and we should win well.

I cannot remember a season in which so many of the games have been so bad to watch. 6-7 times already this season I have sat down to watch some footy (not the Dees, just trying to relax) and have switched it off. I actually switched the Commonwealth Games on, only to have to choose between synchronised diving, rhythmic gymastics or basketball!! Carlton v North on a Saturday night - give me a break.

6. Gawn 5. Hogan 4. Salem 3. Wagner 2.Tyson 1. Lewis

Dees annihilate Pies in QB game, leading to Buckley being sacked, and Eddie losing out in a board challenge to his presidency. Dees finish 5th after Home and Away season. A suprise B & F winner - someone like Salem, Brayshaw or Hunt. We beat North. Weideman replaces Pederson on or after round 12. One of Dion Johnston or Spargo become established starting 22 small forward.

I hope he returns to his best and tears it up for Port, but not against us. Just one of those quality people that make the whole club a better place. And if he and Watts get a run against us, I actually hope we cheer and clap when they come on. After that I will feel happy to treat them like the opposition and abuse the carp out of them.

I am a fan, and reckon Goodwin/Roos mantra of "from the contest out" might rapidly improve his game. I dont have the sense of him being a turnover king. But he is definitely not a primary target.

Connors has said this not because it is TRUE. He has said it because the more he says it, the more likely these players will recieve higher offers, and his 30 pieces of silver might become 31 or 32. It is propoganda designed for LEVERage.

I am still as grumpy as a Scot at a charity donation, but I can't believe some of the stuff being proposed on this thread. Hulett, Trengove, Kennedy and White look the closest to being delisted. Apart from them, even as bad as missing finals is, it would be a total waste of the Roos era to start swinging the hatchet anywhere it can strike blood. Our list doesn't need some wild, unfocused slashing - it needs a surgeons precision to help a very talented list improve. Possible to trade - IF we can improve our list: 1) Frost or TMac as much as I don't want to lose either of them. Might get us a Lever type defender. 2) Salem or Tyson if we can use them in conjunction with other draft numbers/current players to recuit an A grade midfielder. Probably not possible, they are probably not enough currency to get what we want. Garland might move on to coaching, and Spencer will get a gig somewhere else. With some recent rookie elevations, I actually can't see too much more movement than this, so no more than 6 list changes.